Storage
I put my Corvette on jack stand when I store it for more than six months. There is some controversy about whether it should be done, how you should do it and what it accomplishes.
Raising the car off the ground prevents flat spotting the times. While some claim modern tires do not take a set with a flat spot, I find the tires I have on my cars do. It takes several heat cycles, driving the car several times, to get the tires round again and to stop thumping.
I find the suspension bushing are not affected by the six months of suspension droop. This is confirmed by Dave Tillotsonn, Guldstrand’s Operations Director, of Guldstrand Motorsports. “We suggest that when people put their cars away for the winter months, they put the cars on stands and remove and bag the tires. (This prevents any moisture from having harmful effects [on the tires]. Allowing the suspension to hang is really the least of their worries, and is not detrimental."
The C8 is a challenge to put on jack stands because there are only four jacking points. Here is how I store my car:
Fill gas tank
A full gas tank will not breath with changes in temperature. As a result moisture will not condense inside the tank. Perhaps modern cars with the evaporative smog reduction modifications will not allow moist air into the tank. It is easy enough to avoid the problem by filling the tank.
Clean
Remove pollutants, especially anything acidic, from the car's body and wheels. Cover the car to prevent any additional pollutants.
Battery
Charge your battery or put it on a battery tender. A charged battery is less likely to freeze in cold weather. A charged battery will last longer.
Jack the car up
Raise the car on jack stands. This prevents the tires from flat spotting due to the weight of the car and lack of movement.
Run the engine
Run the engine occasionally if possible. This circulates the oil and re-coats the moving parts. Seals will not dry out and become brittle. Push on the brakes and clutch to keep the seals and bores lubricated. Driving it would be better, and more fun, but moving things is the next best thing.
How to Jack Your Car
It is critically important to chock your wheels in order to prevent the car from moving or falling off the jack, jack stands, or cribs.
Put the rear tires on cribs. The cribs need to be configured to allow the jack to fit under the tire and jack it even higher. The 4 x 4 blocks are tall enough for the jack to fit under the second level.
Lift the wheel and raise the car high enough to place the jack stand under the jacking point. The jack should be high enough to allow the tire to droop and still not touch the 4 x 4 wood as the jack and wood need to be removed.
The tire should be off the ground and the car is supported by the jack stands.
Now that the back two tires are off the ground, the front tires can be raised by jacking on the two hook. Remember most of the weight of the car is on the rear jack stands. (I store my Lotus Exige the same way. However the car is so light and the weight is biased to the rear sufficiently that I can lift the front of the car with one finger.)
I had some extra sheets. I got out my sewing machina and created a dust cover. I finished it with socks over the mirrors.